Tag: beauty

Our fashion favourites this month include a close look at Yves Saint Laurent’s famous accessories and a very glamorous edition chronicling the drag queens and kings of New York. Our Vogue On: collection continues to grow with the addition of Calvin Klein and Jean Paul Gaultier, and we have a new book of clean beauty recipes; perfect for hitting those eco-friendly new year’s resolutions!

Clean beauty : recipes to manage your beauty routine, naturally / by Elsie Rutterford and Dominika Minarovic, Clean Beauty Co.
“Join the clean beauty revolution that’s taking the nation by storm and discover the delights of making your own beauty products in the comfort of your own home. Scrub that bad day away with a coffee body scrub, or take a long restorative bath with a coconut milk soak. Perhaps you fancy fixing those split ends with a banana split hair mask. Whatever the problem, the Clean Beauty girls have a homemade recipe that you can whip up in no time. So what are you waiting for? Join the revolution today!” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Yves Saint Laurent accessories / Patrick Mauriès.
“‘One can never overstate the importance of accessories. They are what turns a dress into something else. I like dresses to be sober and accessories to be wild’, Yves Saint Laurent, 1977. Yves Saint Laurent Accessories introduces readers to a prominent yet rarely seen side of Saint Laurent’s art, leading them backstage and through the history of a house that helped to shape the course of fashion.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Drags / photographed by Gregory Kramer ; designed by Rachel Bernstein.
“A photo series documenting the drag queens and kings of New York City, through glamorous black-and-white photographs. Presented in the style of classic fashion portraiture, the collection features legends – and up-and-coming legends – in glamorous black and white, full-length studio portraits. Inspired by Irving Penn, each photo brings out the spirit of the performer through subtle pose, gesture and facial expression.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Androgyne : fashion + gender / Patrick Mauriès ; text translated from the French by Barbara Mellor.
“In January 2011, Jean Paul Gaultier’s haute couture runway show ended with the image of a willowy blonde bride in a diaphanous gown. The bride was a man, and one of the first models to walk for both men’s and women’s collections. The event marked the start of a trend. From the late nineteenth to the early twenty-first century, the genders have blended. Patrick Mauries presents a cultural history of androgyny drawing on the worlds of art and literature to give us a deeper understanding of the strange but timeless human drive to escape from defined categories.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Vogue on Calvin Klein / Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni.
“In Vogue on Calvin Klein fashion journalist Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni explores Calvin Klein’s creation of one of the greatest fashion brands of today. His stylish and provocative campaigns, and use of celebrities has changed the face of American advertising.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Vogue on Jean Paul Gaultier / Carolyn Asome.
“Seen as an enfant terrible when he first burst on to the fashion scene, Jean Paul Gaultier retains this ‘bad boy’ image while garnering respect for his mastery of classical cutting and tailoring techniques. With stunning images from the pages ofVogue by photographers like Mario Testino, his avant-garde creations and cutting-edge designs reveal Gaultier’s unerring instinct for how women want to dress.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Paris and Scandinavia are on the fashion itinerary this week, as well as a world atlas of street style! We have a nifty new guide to thrift shopping, a browse through some questionable fashion choices and a look at the all important Ladies’ Haircult.

Paris : through a fashion eye / Megan Hess.
“In the second of her series of books on classic fashion destinations, Megan Hess takes you on a super stylish adventure through the French capital, showing you the best places for a fashionista to eat, sleep, shop and play – all illustrated in her inimitable, elegant style. Megan’s tour reveals where fashion icons such as Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfield, Chistian Dior and Louis-Francois Cartier worked and played, the top restaurants, hotels, boutiques and sites to visit, as well as Megan’s own personal favorite places to shop. This is a must-have insider’s guide to Paris for any fashion lover or Francophile.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Items : Is Fashion Modern?
“An encyclopaedic selection of 111 garments, footwear, and accessories – from humble masterpieces to high fashion – that have had a strong impact on society in the 20th and 21st centuries and continue to hold currency today. Published to accompany the first major exhibition on fashion design at The Museum of Modern Art since 1944, Items: Is Fashion Modern? presents 111 iconic garments, footwear and accessories that have strongly influenced society in the 20th and 21st- centuries and continue to hold currency today.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The World Atlas of Street Fashion
“An extensively researched and generously illustrated volume offering a striking and diverse portrait of street style in cities and cultures around the world. Through its extensive research, striking photography, and handsome design, World Atlas of Street Fashion is the essential resource on world street style.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Thriftstyle : the ultimate bargain shopper’s guide to smart fashion / Allison Engel, Reise Moore and Margaret Engel ; photographs by Roger Snider.
“Shoppers will learn to navigate the racks of their local consignment shop, spot name brands like Versace, Dior, and Burberry, select the best quality items, and repair secondhand clothes that need some love. Photo-filled chapters on thrifted handbags, jewelry, scarves, and other accessories show what’s available and give tips for distinguishing quality items from fakes. Interviews with expert tailors, dry cleaners, shoe repair wizards, and fabric-dyeing professionals explain what makes a damaged piece of clothing worth renovating. Before-and-after photos show what can be done to refashion less-than-perfect finds.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

I actually wore this : clothes we can’t believe we bought / written by Tom Coleman ; photography by Jerome Jakubiec.
“In everyone’s closet, there is one article of clothing that truly demonstrates a momentary lapse in fashion judgment. I Actually Wore This is the first book to celebrate these fashion blunders and lets us in on how and why they happened: the purple velour jumpsuit that was supposed to make you look dangerous, the Baron von Trapp-ish Tyrolean jacket that seemed like a good idea after six beers in Munich, and the cocktail napkin-sized swimsuit. Each of these cringe-inducing items somehow managed to find its way into the wardrobe of a typically fashionable person, and the authors are here to tell you how that happened.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Dress Scandinavian / Pernille Teisbæk.
“In her gorgeous first book Pernille offers professional tips on how to create a minimalist wardrobe and look, mix and match patterns successfully, adopt androgynous looks or new colour combinations, try out new materials and mix fabrics, plus plenty of timeless fashion advice such as a jeans-fit guide and essential Dos and Don’ts. Her beauty chapter reveals Pernille’s capsule survival kit and how to achieve her natural look. Pernille also covers pared-back Scandinavian home design with an eye on balancing elegant simplicity and minimalism with inviting homeliness and warmth, or hygge, and inspirational pictures. A perfect gift for all Scandi lovers and anyone wanting insider advice from one of fashion’s most stylish experts.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

There are so many great new fashion books this month! A few of our faves are listed here; we particularly love Dress [with] Sense as a guide to a more sustainable wardrobe, containing the best eco-friendly labels and fabrics. The Art of the White Shirt is another favourite as well as Know Your Style – these covers are so beautiful. We also have a very-sought after new beauty guide from Bobbi Brown.

Dress [with] sense / Christina Dean, Hannah Lane, Sofia Tarneberg (Redress) ; illustrated by Charlotte Trounce.
“Dress [with] Sense is the perfect guide for fashion lovers of all ages keen to embrace a more ethical and environment-friendly approach to their wardrobes that is also economical, stylish and practical. This timely book is organized into four chapters each containing a short introduction followed by practical tips and illustrated case studies to help you make the first step towards a more sustainable wardrobe. It concludes with a rich reference section recommending not only the best ethical fashion labels and collections but also eco-friendly fabrics, standards and certifications, cleaning methods, renting, swapping and recycling initiatives, and much more.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Know your style : mix it, match it, love it / Alyson Walsh ; artwork by Ayumi Takahashi.
“The biggest fashion conundrum is ‘what goes with what?’ What kind of jewelry goes with certain outfits, what are the best colors to coordinate, what combinations should be avoided, what shoes should be worn with different pant styles, what’s in fashion, and does it really matter? Creatively covering a range of outfits, trends, style icons and designs, this book offers original ways to wear clothes and fresh styling ideas for women of all ages.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Rei Kawakubo : Comme des Garçons : art of the in-between / Andrew Bolton.
“A revelatory look at the influential and enigmatic designer behind Comme des Garcons. Widely recognized among her contemporaries as the most important and influential designer of the past forty years, she has, since her Paris debut in 1981, defined and transformed the aesthetics of our time. This lavishly illustrated publication examines Kawakubo’s fascination with interstitiality, or the space between boundaries. Featuring brilliant new photography, and thought-provoking texts by Andrew Bolton, this book expresses the conceptual and challenging aesthetic of this visionary designer.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Androgyne : Fashion and Gender
“In January 2011, Jean Paul Gaultier’s haute couture runway show ended with the image of a willowy blonde bride in a diaphanous gown. The bride was a man, and one of the first models to walk for both men’s and women’s collections. The event marked the start of a trend. From the late nineteenth to the early twenty-first century, the genders have blended. Patrick Mauries presents a cultural history of androgyny–accompanied by a striking selection of more than 120 images drawing on the worlds of art and literature to give us a deeper understanding of the strange but timeless human drive to escape from defined categories.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Cool : style, sound, and subversion / Greg Foley, Andrew Luecke.
“COOL: Style, Sound, and Subversion is equal parts historical chronicle and handbook of the myriad subcultures–most unknown to mainstream culture–that have influenced style. Lavish with original illustrations, COOL references a wealth of ephemera–including a timeline, zeitgeist films, ‘zines, secret music scenes, art collectives, and over one hundred music playlists tied to specific subcultures through the years–to give the reader a thoroughly vibrant picture of each movement and their sub-movements. COOL is sure to appeal to fashionistas, culture mavens, and pop culture fans alike.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Homemade makes a comeback this month with Folk Fashion celebrating the charms of the humble homemade garment, plus a new guide to making your own mineral makeup at home. We have new volumes on fashion heavyweights Balenciaga and Missoni, and a detailed look at the history of fashion illustration. There are also new style guides that will get your Parisian chic vibes and makeup on point for the new season.

Folk fashion : understanding homemade clothes / Amy Twigger Holroyd.
“Using the innovative metaphor of fashion as common land, Folk Fashion investigates the complex relationship between making, well-being and sustainability. Twigger Holroyd combines her own experience as a designer and knitter with first-hand accounts from folk fashion makers to explore this fascinating, yet under-examined, area of contemporary fashion culture.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Make your own pure mineral makeup : 79 easy hypoallergenic recipes for radiant beauty / Heather Anderson.
“Formulations for eye shadow, foundation, concealer, blush, highlighter, and more will help you create mineral-based powders free of fragrances, parabens, and toxins. You’ll also learn to make simple and safe lip balms and glosses. Many recipes include ingredients that help promote healthy skin, and the in-depth ingredient glossary and at-a-glance substitution chart identify properties such as oil-absorbing and healing, while also highlighting vegan options, so you can create cosmetics that meet your skin’s needs and reflect your personal values.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

100 years of fashion illustration / Cally Blackman.
“A visual feast of 400 dazzling images, this is a comprehensive survey of the genre over the last century. The book also offers an overview of the development of fashion, as seen through the eyes of the greatest illustrators of the day.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Wear and tear : the threads of my life / Tracy Tynan.
“Tracy Peacock Tynan grew up in London in the 1950’s and 60s, privy to her parents’ glamorous parties and famous friends. When Tracy started writing about her life she found that clothing was the focus of many of her stories. She recalls her father’s dandy attire and her mother’s Pucci dresses, as well as her parents’ rancorous marriage and divorce, her father’s prodigious talents and celebrity lifestyle, and her mother’s lifelong struggle with addiction. She tackles issues big and small using clothes as an entre–relationships, marriage, children, stepchildren, blended families, her parent’s decline and deaths, and her work as a costume designer are all recounted with humor, with insight, and with the special joy that can only come from finding the perfect outfit.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Balenciaga : shaping fashion / Lesley Ellis Miller.
“Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) remains one of the most revered and enigmatic of fashion designers. This fully revised and extended edition of Balenciaga offers a thorough examination of the Spanish-born couturier’s designs and business practice, and places him firmly in the context of the time, looking at the country in which he learned his trade and the international fashion scene in which he matured and triumphed. His perfectionism, effortless, iconic style, and the wearability of his clothes continue to influence designers today.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Missoni : art colour / testi Luciano Caramel, Luca Missoni, Emma Zanella.
“Published on the occasion of the Missoni, Art, Colour exhibition, this visually rich book surveys the history and inspiration behind one of the most iconic fashion houses of all time. This book is both a celebration of the unmistakable Missoni style, whose innovative approach mixes color, pattern, and matter with an extraordinary sense of balance, and an exploration of works by artists who have influenced the designers over the course of their creative, cultural, and artistic journey.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The make-up manual : your beauty guide for brows, eyes, skin, lips and more / Lisa Potter-Dixon.
“A comprehensive make-up manual that details all aspects of make-up application, solutions to common problems, as well as tips and tricks for perfecting your look every time. So whether you’re looking for a fun and youthful, elegant and sophisticated, or one-off look, Lisa will show you how to make the most of your facial features and complexion in this her Make-up Manual.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

July’s fashion and beauty edit is all about keeping things classic – we have shiny new volumes on legendary starlet Brigitte Bardot, the history of tweed and how to nail the perfect red lipstick. This month we’re also featuring hot menswear and London style. Celebrate the classics with July’s new books.

London sartorial : men’s style from street to bespoke / Dylan Jones.
“Beginning with an exploration of London’s chicest urban villages, the book reflects the extraordinary eclecticism of the city’s street style–from envelope-pushing streetwear in Shoreditch to classic tailoring in Mayfair. Forays into the coolest and hardest-to-find menswear shops in the city at once reveal the sources of the fashions on display and capture the atmosphere of the capital. At the heart of the book are profiles of London’s top designers–from world renowned brands to up-and-coming names, these are the designers whose work is shaping the future of menswear.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Lips : how to wear lipstick, lip gloss and lift your lip game / by Natasha Devedlaka-Price ; photography by Mick Ackland and Casey Moore.
“Around two-thirds of women count lipstick among their essential luxuries, one in three saying they won’t go without. Nothing makes a girl pop like a bright burst of color! And it takes just minutes to apply. Natasha starts with lip care – exfoliating and prepping – and the basics of applying lipstick. She teaches readers how to pick the best red for their skin tone, make lips look thinner or plumper, choose lipstick that lasts all day, and much more. Tutorials feature topics like how to wear matt lipstick, gloss, as well as trends like ombre, nude, contouring lips, and more.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

London uprising : fifty fashion Designers, one city / edited by Tania Fares and Sarah Mower.
“London has long been a fashion-world capital, and the past fifteen years have been an especially fertile period in its centuries-long history of setting trends. This stunning book is an all-access pass into the world of designer fashion – an exclusive behind-the-scenes studio tour that calls in on fifty of the city’s leading design talents – London-based global superstars – all of whom open up about their practice and philosophy, and share a wealth of images from their private collections.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Brigitte Bardot : my life in fashion / Henry-Jean Servat ; translation, Mot.tif.
“Legendary actress Brigitte Bardot led fashion revolutions throughout her career; this retrospective includes BB’s comments on her iconic style in a rare, intimate interview. Brigitte Bardot is a style icon whose legacy has undeniably shaped the face of fashion as we know it. Evoking French style and the glamour of St. Tropez, her legacy endures–from ballerina slippers with sweeping skirts to figure-hugging knitwear, gingham fabrics and gypsy dresses, kohl eyeliner and tousled hair.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Tweed / Fiona Anderson.
“The story of tweed is tied to a series of social, economic and cultural shifts that have molded its development. Exploring rural and urban contexts, this book reveals the important physical and conceptual relationships of tweed with landscape. Progressive changes in gender relations are also explored as a major factor in tweed’s evolution, from associations with particular ideals of masculinity into what is now a truly adaptable fashion textile worn by both sexes. This is the first book of its kind to recognize the importance of tweed to fashion innovation today.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Alone in a crowd : men in this town / Giuseppe Santamaria.
“Alone in a crowd, Giuseppe’s third title, once again turns the spotlight on men’s fashion in cities around the world – including his home-town Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, London, Paris, Florence, Madrid, New York, and his childhood home, Toronto. Some shots capture menswear enthusiasts outside the fashion week shows in respective cities, others celebrate the everydaystyle of men – on the streets, at work and at play.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

June’s fashion and beauty update has plenty to get you #inspired – we have new style guides and makeup guides, as well as a peek at men’s street style across four continents. We have a book which promises the best skin of your life and a new volume all about fashion’s social media stars. We also get a close-up look at some of history’s most famous fashion moments, all gorgeously portrayed in bright and whimsical illustrations. Let us inspire you this winter!

The way she wears it : the ultimate insider’s guide to revealing your personal style / Dallas Shaw.
“In The Way She Wears It, fashion illustrator and It girl Dallas Shaw shows you how to mix up your closet and shop like a rock star. Organized around a range of challenges, this lookbook-meets workbook-is a must for every woman, whether you’re a fashion novice trying to figure out your signature style, a fashionista who wants to step up her game, or the most stylish presence in the room looking to stay ahead of the competition.” (Library catalogue)

Alone in a crowd : men in this town / Giuseppe Santamaria.
“Photographer, blogger, art director and fashion enthusiast Giuseppe Santamaria invites us on a journey across four continents to explore men’s street style in eight inspiring cities – New York, Toronto, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Florence and Paris. This striking photographic collection showcases unique men and their styles, from the classic silhouettes of Italian tailoring to the eccentric outfits of Manhattan and downtown Tokyo. Alone In A Crowd is a global sartorial adventure that captures the relationship of place, personality and fashion.” (Library catalogue)

Groundbreaking fashion / Jane Rocca ; illustrations by Juliet Sulejmani.
“A celebration of fashion’s most adventurous, outrageous moments. The modern history of fashion has always had significant turning points that altered everything that came afterwards. This book honours and celebrates these groundbreaking fashion moments. Each of the 100 fashion turning points is illustrated and put into its historical context — how and why it was ahead of the curve.” (Provided by publisher)

Get your skin radiant and ready for winter with our new fashion and beauty books for May. Try out some natural beauty remedies and recipes and find the best natural beauty products for your skin type. We also take a look at a New Zealand fashion story – the life and work of Kiwi milliner Lindsay Kennett.

All natural beauty : organic & homemade beauty products / Karin Berndl & Nici Hofer.
“From dull skin to drab hair and tired eyes, the traditional recipes in this book can change a multitude of little beauty niggles, and each of the treatments is free from nasty paraffins, synthetic colors, and Triclosan – and they can be made at a fraction of the cost of store-bought products. From a nourishing lip balm that will soften your lips, to a chickpea and turmeric face mask, which will make your skin glow, to a shea butter varicose vein body butter, there’s something for everyone. Also included are shampoo, make-up remover, toner, and more.” (adapted from Amazon)

A passion for fashion : the life of Lindsay Kennett master milliner / as told to and written by Hilary E. Hunt.
“Lindsay Kennett developed his passion for fashion as a young boy in the isolated Paradise and Glenorchy regions of Otago. Lindsay went on to create hats for fashion-conscious women all over New Zealand. His millinery salon in Parnell attracted many interesting patrons, and his numerous ‘travelling hat shows’ brought delight to all who attended them. Since his ostensible retirement in Dunedin in the early 1990s, Lindsay has held sell-out shows and exhibitions of his hats and artwork to raise money for charities. Superb photographs of just some of Lindsay’s collection of 100 hats illustrating millinery fashions from 1900 to 1990 complement this engaging memoir.” (summary from Fishpond)

The nature of beauty : organic skincare, botanical beauty rituals and clean cosmetics / Imelda Burke.
“Choosing natural beauty doesn’t mean ditching hi-tech products in favour of homemade potions. It means being conscious about what you’re buying: what are you putting on your skin, what does it do and where does it come from? This honest, expert book will teach you how to recognise what your skin needs and how to buy the best products for you. It offers both time-honoured and modern techniques, tips and guidance for all ages, and showcases the powerful ingredients and brands that you need to know about.” (adapted from syndetics summary)

Skin : delicious recipes & the ultimate wellbeing plan for radiant skin in 6 weeks / Liz Earle.
“This is the only book you will ever need to transform dull, lifeless skin, to skin that radiates youth and good health. This book features a 6-week programme to nourish your skin from the inside out. Each week focuses on a different aspect of skincare, from detox and exfoliation, cleansing and healing, to nourishing, balance and, finally, radiance and maintenance. The programme is accompanied by 80 delicious and easy recipes to prove that what you put in your body is just as important for your skin as what you put on it.” (adapted from syndetics summary)

Jeremy Scott / foreword by Jeffrey Deitch.
“The definitive monograph on Jeremy Scott, one of the most creative and influential American designers working in fashion today. Jeremy Scott is an American designer whose sensibility has brought elements of humor, rebellion, and fantasy to the elevated culture of couture – from his earliest collections in Paris to the outrageous runway shows in recent years that led the New York Times to call him ‘fashion’s last rebel.’ Creative, original, and iconic, Scott is the voice of his generation, his work a colourful marriage of the ubiquity of cultural reference with the refinement of high fashion.” (syndetics summary)

50 men’s fashion icons that changed the world / Dan Jones.
“Painfully cool and instantly recognisable, the 50 style trailblazers in this collection used fashion to attract attention, gain influence, express themselves and make powerful statements. From Fred Astaire to Prince, Marlon Brando to Bob Dylan, JFK to Fred Perry, this book covers the looks and stories of politicians and actors, musicians and designers. With stunning photography, this book is the perfect gift for fashionistas, design students, and anyone who loves good style!” (Amazon)

March brings a bumper crop of makeup and beauty books, equipping you perfectly for the change of seasons. We also have a shiny new volume from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s Carson Kressley and a closer look at everyone’s favourite fashion staple – denim.

Face : make-up, skincare, beauty / Sam and Nic Chapman.
“Sam and Nic Chapman began the YouTube channel Pixiwoo in 2008 as a way to educate women and men of all ages in the art of make-up. Now, they have compiled their extensive knowledge into one book. Fully illustrated using photos from their tutorials, this beautiful book includes advice, techniques and top tips for your skin, brows, eyes, lashes and lips. From easy-to-follow guides to recommendations for the ideal tools used to create the perfect look, this incredible manual will reveal how to manage and style each feature to suit you best.” (Syndetics summary)

50 ways to wear denim / Lauren Friedman.
“50 Ways to Wear Denim is an illustrated guide to styling denim in 50 different looks. Each one spotlights an iconic denim garment (think denim shirts and skirts, jeans for every figure, overalls, jean jackets, and more) or suggests unexpected ways to incorporate denim into an outfit, from dressing up denim for a fancy event to mix-and-matching it with leopard print, florals, and plaids. Lively introductory sections explore denim’s history, anatomy, and key terminology, plus tips for shopping and caring for this staple fabric. A must-have fashion resource for fashionistas and denim lovers of all ages.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Make it up : the essential guide to DIY makeup & skin care / Marie Rayma.
“Marie Rayma shares the recipes she has developed through years of trial, error, and testing to come up with the very best. This is real makeup and skincare: bright lipsticks, quality mineral powders, long-wearing eyeliners, and masks and cleansers that yield results. These awesome oils, butters, clays, and minerals will replace the petroleum products, artificial colors, and lab-created mystery fragrances that have untold effects on our bodies. Products can be tailored for individual needs-from swapping out ingredients not suitable for sensitive skin to whipping up the perfect colors suited for any complexion.” (Syndetics summary)

Undercover / Jun Takahashi.
“The first comprehensive book on the work of Jun Takahashi of UNDERCOVER, an icon of Harajuku streetwear and the presumptive heir to the heavy mantle of Japanese deconstruction. Takahashi Jun’s fashion is not born out of an excessively intellectualized agenda. While not quite populist, his generative influences are instead romantic–even gothic. Undercover is insightfully curated with fashion-filled chapters devoted to Takahashi’s sketches, graphic work, collaborations, and most innovative designs to date. This book gives readers first time access into Takahashi’s UNDERCOVER, one of the most desired and multidimensional clothing lines in contemporary fashion.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Eat beautiful : nourish your skin from the inside out / Wendy Rowe.
“In this refreshing beauty book, Wendy will teach you how to keep your skin healthy and let your inner and outer beauty shine. Wendy has devised over 70 easy and delicious recipes specifically designed to feed your skin with the nutrients it needs to glow. Each of the recipes correlates to an essential skin-feeding ingredient that will help target specific skin problems and common complaints. Wendy provides specific advice for foods to embrace or avoid depending on your skin.” (adapted from syndetics summary)

The fashion of film : how cinema has inspired fashion / Amber Butchart.
“The Fashion of Film is the perfect book for the fashion fan. In it, fashion historian Amber Butchart takes a journey through the last 100 years of cinema style and its influence on the catwalks. With beautiful imagery and thoroughly-researched text, she looks at how our most iconic movies have transformed the world of high fashion. Karl Lagerfeld was influenced by the dystopian vision of Metropolis, the picture-perfect world of Wes Anderson’s films are echoed in the collections of Miuccia Prada, and Audrey Hepburn was key to Hubert de Givenchy’s work. Fashion designers have long taken their inspiration from silver screen idols, and continue to do so today.” (Syndetics summary)

See out 2016 with December’s selection of new beauty and fashion reads. My personal pick for the month is A Star is Born – I can never resist a bit of Audrey! Also take a real life look at the world of modelling, and find out more about the world’s most well-known beauty products.

A star is born : the moment an actress becomes an icon / George Tiffin.
“Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve… Feted, adored and desired, successful movie actresses are icons of modern culture. But what was it that made them true stars? In a sequence of elegant pen-portraits, George Tiffin takes a microscope to the movies and the moments that established 75 female icons of cinema. These penportraits are supplemented by quotes, notes and anecdotes, including script excerpts from key scenes. A STAR IS BORN is a seductive celebration of the eternal feminine at the heart of the movie business – and an informal and engaging history of cinema itself.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Style tribes / Caroline Young.
“Style Tribes: The Fashion of Subcultures explores the style, fashions and ideology of youth movements of the last 100 years, including flappers, swing kids, mods, rockers, surfers, hippies, punks, disco, hip hop, Harajuku and hipsters. Fully illustrated, it delves into the stories behind the styles, what sets each of them apart, and looks at the influence and legacy of each of these tribes. Illustrated with historic and contemporary images, it colourfully details each group to give a comprehensive overview of each subculture.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Nasty galaxy / Sophia Amoruso ; foreword by Courtney Love.
“From Sophia Amoruso, the New York Times -bestselling author of #GIRLBOSS , a lushly illustrated embodiment of the collective spirit of the Nasty Gal brand, Sophia’s own personal brand, and girlbosses everywhere, with a foreword by Courtney Love. Warning: this is not a style book. It’s not about how to mix prints–it’s about how to leave yours on everything you touch.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Pretty iconic : a personal look at the beauty products that changed the world / Sali Hughes ; photographs by Jake Walters.
“Packed full of beauty wisdom, Pretty Iconic takes us from the evocative smell of Johnson’s baby lotion through to Simple Face wipes, NARS Orgasm and beyond, looking at the formative role beauty plays in our lives. Considering which much-hyped beauty buys are worth the buzz, and who they might be best suited for, in Pretty Iconic Sali Hughes uses her witty, inclusive and discerning style to look at some of the most significant products in beauty – from treasured classics such as Chanel No 5, to life-changers such as Babyliss Big Hair, and the more recent releases from Charlotte Tilbury, Sunday Riley and others that are shaping the beauty industry today.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Stay golden / Lucky Blue Smith ; written with Dallon G. Smith.
“Scouted at the age of ten, signed to an international modeling agency by twelve, and now considered the most in-demand model at only eighteen, Lucky Blue Smith is #lucky. Get a front row look at the fashion and modeling world, through the eyes of Lucky Blue Smith, as he shares personal stories, never-before-seen photographs and intimate letters from his family and friends. Witty, charming, and totally honest, Lucky reveals all, connecting with his fans like never before.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The new French couture : icons of Paris fashion / Elyssa Dimant.
“With more than 175 color high-fashion photographs, this stunning, comprehensive, and authoritative handbook on modern French couture, covering the finest Parisian houses of couture–including Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, and more. The New French Couture identifies the fashion leaders whose longstanding ateliers have endured, and the creative pioneers who continue to reinvent and reinterpret their signature iconography. Though haute couture remains the exclusive domain of a few houses, the Parisian fashion panorama is rife with gifted luxury establishments who specialize in hand-craftsmanship, exquisite design, precious materials, impeccable production, and a celebrity clientele.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

November’s fashion and beauty books bring a guide to the curated closet, as well as a recipe book for making your own coconut oil beauty products at home. We take a look at the long and enduring relationship between fashion and film, and also the role of masculine identity in menswear. We also have a brand new Alexander McQueen book, featuring never-before-seen images from his famous fashion shows.

The curated closet : a simple system for discovering your personal style and building your dream wardrobe / by Anuschka Rees.
“Lifestyle blogger Rees’s first book, based on the blog Into Mind, is a fun and practical guide to discovering one’s personal style. The goal is for women to easily choose an outfit that they like every single morning, to wear a large portion of clothes from their closet, and to be able to dress for their own lifestyles. To begin, readers are encouraged to document their own outfits for two weeks (taking a photograph every day), observing their favorite and least favorite looks, colors, fits, and garments. From there, Rees advises readers on how to revitalize their personal style and build a fully wearable wardrobe. Refreshing and thorough, Rees delivers a fashion-forward guide that’s awesomely sensible.” (adapted from Publisher Weekly)

The Fashion of Film: How Cinema has Inspired Fashion: Fashion Design Inspired by Cinema [hardback]
“Since 1911, the industries of film and fashion have been closely intertwined; designer collections that draw upon the glamour of the cinema are enticing for potential consumers. And costume, of course, serves as creative inspiration to designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and John Galliano. These connecting threads are pulled together neatly by Butchart, fashion historian and associate lecturer at the London College of Fashion. She explores 45 iconic films across the genres of crime, musical, historical epic, horror, romance, sf, and art house. This survey of international scope will be of interest to both fashionistas and cinema buffs.” (adapted from Library Journal)

Men and style / David Coggins, with forward by Glenn O’Brien.
“Men and Style reaches beyond standard “what to wear” advice: It is equal parts style guide and intriguing conversation about the masculine identity within the world of fashion. David Coggins explores the history of men’s style and learns from some of the most notable tastemakers in the industry and beyond. Its essays and interviews discuss the lessons men learned from their fathers, the mistakes they made as young men, and how they emerged to become better men. Some of the most dapper men in the world discuss bad mustaches, misguided cologne choices, and unfortunate prom tuxedos. Men and Style celebrates singular men who’ve lived well and can tell us about how they earned their worldview.” (Adapted from publisher’s website)